Friday

Dec 8, 2017 at 8:24 PMDec 12, 2017 at 8:53 AM

BOSTON - Teenagers sprang up and overhead, their bodies buoyed by the hands of their peers, the crowd-surfing stopped only by the hulking bouncers at the edge of the stage, as the young punk band SWMRS tore into their racing rock anthem “D’you Have A Car” Thursday night at Paradise Rock Club.

“D'you got a car? D'you got a set of keys? Tell me where you're going. Is there room for me?” sang the Oakland, California, band's co-leader, Cole Becker, his hair dyed black and wearing a janitor-style jumpsuit.

Band members, ages 22 to 24, include lead guitarist and singer Cole Becker, his older brother Max (also lead vocals and guitar), drummer Joey Armstrong (he's the son of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong) and Seb Mueller (bass). Their latest album, “Drive North,” was released in February 2016.

With “D’you Have A Car,” about suffocating from loneliness and isolation, Cole sang over a driving beat that became more frenzied after each verse until he finally screamed, “Do you got a heart? Do you got an empty seat? Take me driving bloody somewhere, set me free.”

Armstrong and the Becker brothers have known each other since Cole and Joey were 4. As 9-year-olds, they started a band together called Emily’s Army after they were inspired by the 2003 film "School of Rock."

“What was really cool about that movie, too, was that they wrote their own songs,” Cole told Entertainment Weekly in 2016. “From the outset we were always like, “We’re going to write our own songs, that’s what real bands do.”

They write their own songs and they write their own rules. The band is also taking on a timely important topic. At the Paradise show, after singing “Miss Yer Kiss,” a chilled-down pop song about a one-night stand he hopes will turn into a romance, Cole told concertgoers that they “better [expletive] listen.”

"We can’t keep tolerating sexual assault at shows,” he yelled. “If someone’s groping you, you have full permission to turn around and punch that [expletive] in the face.”

Free "zines" denouncing sexual assault and harassment were offered at the band's merch table. Partly scrawled in pen and partly typed, the printed material included advice on what to do as a victim of sexual assault, such as “Yell! Make it known! Expose the abuser!” and instructions on “How to punch an abuser.”

The zine also included message from an anonymous “femme who works at venues (and grew up in the punk scene).” “From creepy old men blatantly trying to get in my pants, to guys in their early 20s, subliminally hitting on me in a predatory way, it was rampant,” the message said. “I was groped at shows. I was taken advantage of.”

The zine encouraged victims of assault to flag down band members during the show so they could intervene. SWMRS also set up a “safety line” email, swmrssafety@gmail.com, as another way for concertgoers to make the abuse known.

Cole expressed frustration with such criminal behavior at concerts. “You people … 22 and younger, the adults have done the best they can [expletive] do, and it’s still [expletive],” Cole said. “So we need to get creative. You’re strong and powerful.”

Leading up to their defiant, pounding rock track, “Uncool,” about getting “drunk on image” instead of staying true to yourself, Cole declared messages of equality and self-love.

“Disabled lives matter. Trans lives matter. Black and brown lives matter,” he said. “This song is about being proud of whoever the [expletive] you are.”

SWMRS also performed the scornful, screaming, “Drive North,” a sonic middle finger to Los Angeles -- “I hate the Dodgers! I hate the Lakers!” and that night, “I hate the Yankees!” “Turn Up” was a sweet wistful head-bopper sung by Max Becker, about having limited time with a crush, and listening to music together.

“So turn the music up louder, girl / I know we only got an hour, girl / Before I leave you for a long, long time / And I really wanna make you mine,” he sang.

In the middle of the show, Cole expressed his feelings about the impact of music and the community it creates.

“If you remember nothing else, remember this: rock 'n' roll and real music are not gonna solve your problems, but they will help you to figure them out,” he said. "So sing with us.”

SWMRS's set was sandwiched between performances by fellow California bands The Regrettes and The Interrupters. Learn more about SWMRS at www.swmrs.com.